I have lived in Colorado all my life. I grew up with 5 siblings in Monument, CO. I moved up to Boulder County 3 years ago and I am currently a Junior at the University of Colorado in Boulder studying Integrative Physiology and Psychology. I’ve wanted to be a fire fighter for as long as I can remember. I joined the department about 7 months ago. This was best decision I have ever made. I am the first person in my family to pursue fire fighting. After graduating CU, I intend to pursue a career in fire service. I love hiking, running and anything out doors.

[fullwidth]

[cell_text]Ryland Gardner moved to the west after college and has lived in or near the Rocky Mountains since. Ryland has a Master of Arts from Prescott College in Natural Science and Environmental Education and his passion for the natural history and ecology of the Rockies compliments his passion for backcountry skiing, climbing, and sharing the magic of wild places with his students and clients. In addition to working in the graduate program at Prescott College, Ryland also works teaching wilderness medicine for the Wilderness Medicine Institute, ski guiding for Paragon guides in the 10th mountain backcountry hut system and as a senior instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) leading trips up to a month in length. Ryland also works for NOLS Professional Training facilitating and teaching corporate and custom courses for clients including Google, the National Wildland Fire Academy, the Nature Conservancy and others. Ryland has been a Wilderness EMT since 1994 and currently works as a volunteer firefighter/EMT for Lyons Fire in Lyons, CO. When he is not guiding or playing with matches, he can be found doing carpentry work in Boulder or off on an adventure with his wife Shari and their two boys Nate and Robbie. [/cell_text]

[/fullwidth]

[two-columns]
[onehalf]

[cell_text]Ryland volunteers to be a patient during some mountain rescue training.[/cell_text]

[/onehalf]

[/two-columns]

Shari Leach joined the department about 5 years ago.  She and her husband, Ryland, are both W-EMT-Bs (Wilderness EMT’s).  Shari learned to speak Spanish  when she was in the Peace Corps in Honduras.  In spite of being afraid of objects flying at her head, she managed to survive three years on the department’s softball team.  These days her main gig is as the executive director of the Women’s Wilderness Institute.  But Shari also still teaches occasional wilderness first responder (remote medical) classes, as well as leadership theory through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).  Sheri is a CPR instructor for American Heart Association (AHA), and can be contacted if you need a CPR class at shari@womenswilderness.org.

[fullwidth]

[cell_text]Rich Palestro, aka Looch, is a transplant from Queens, NY and has been in Colorado since 1977.  He started in the EMS service 19 years ago as a volunteer in Frederick, CO where he now lives with his wonderful family.  He has a son and a daughter who constantly keep him on his toes.  He currently works for the Colorado State Forest Service as a full time Engine Captain on a Type 6 Engine.  His main passion is in wildland fire which he has been involved in since 2001.  During his off time, he works for his wifes mitigation company as a consultant and a technical tree faller.  He also teaches several wildland fire classes through out the year.  Looch joined Lyons Fire in 2004 because he liked the idea of a small town department that was so connected to the community. [/cell_text]

[/fullwidth]

[two-columns]

[onehalf_last]

[cell_text]Rich takes command of low-angle rescue training[/cell_text]

[/onehalf_last]

[/two-columns]

[fullwidth]

[cell_text]Nicole Palestro has lived in Colorado all her life and has had no desire to live anywhere else. At the present time she is the majority owner of a mitigation company, Healthy Forest Mitigation, so she is usually cutting down trees from 8 to 5 seven days a week. Nicole is married with two children ages 21 and 17. She could say 3 children if you include her husband. When she does find free time, she loves to hang out with her kids, garden, teach new wildland firefighters and be a pain to her husband, Rich. She joined Lyons Fire because she wanted to be involved in a fire department.  Nicole loves the comradery and feels most of the volunteers she meets are really great people. When asked about volunteering for Lyons, Nicole stated, “I also enjoy being a part of a small community.  When small towns, like Frederick, get bigger they tend to lose a lot of their charm.” [/cell_text]

[/fullwidth]

[two-columns]
[onehalf]

[cell_text]Nicole leads her crew during a prescribed burn on the Hall Ranch[/cell_text]

[/onehalf]

[/two-columns]

[fullwidth]

[cell_text]Sue Suskiewich has been living by the North St. Vrain for more than 35 years. When, in the early 2000’s,  wildland fires were flaring up close by, Sue found a great way of both connecting with, and serving the community by joining the fire department.  Sue and her husband Jim are avid fly fishermen which leads them beyond Colorado to New Zealand on a regular basis. [/cell_text]

[/fullwidth]

[fullwidth]

[cell_text]

Joan, a native of Long Island, moved to Colorado five years ago, in search of a new adventure. Joan’s life of service began at a young age through projects with the Girl Scouts. Inspired by the events of 911 and her own father, who has been a volunteer firefighter for over 30 years, Joan decided to put in her application with Lyons FPD. She describes this as one of the best experiences of her life thus far. Since moving here, Joan has worked as a veterinary technician in Boulder, was promoted to lead technician and now manages a dozen others. In her spare time, you can find Joan hiking and running her black Lab, Ashley, participating in Crossfit work-outs, or kicking and punching thai pads in her Muay Thai classes. Joan is looking forward to the future with her fiancé, Chas Blystone and more adventures that follow.

[/cell_text]

[/fullwidth]

[two-columns]
[onehalf]

[cell_text]Joan was obviously enjoying our day of extrication training.[/cell_text]

[/onehalf]

[onehalf_last]

[/onehalf_last]

[/two-columns]

[fullwidth]

[cell_text]Tobin Blythe was born in Longmont, Colorado somewhere around 1992, he’s not quite sure cause he doesn’t remember that far back but thats the supposed story. For now he is a full-time student at Front Range community college heading for a Bachelors in nursing (however long that may take). He also works at Nicolos pizza for his family. He is not married or engaged or anything but time will eventually take care of that one for him hopefully! In the days that he actually has time off, he is usually outside tearing cars apart and rebuilding them; its not always the funnest of work but its definitely worth it in the end. Tobin is naturally an outdoors type of person, so it would take a good roll of duct tape and some rope to keep him from a nice day in the sun. [/cell_text]

[/fullwidth]

[fullwidth]

[cell_text]Shane Deines was born in longmont but moved several times until he was 8. Shane’s parents brought him to Longmont with them after much debate at age 8. After 4 years in the Navy, off on his own on the high seas, he moved back to Longmont. One of the reason’s Shane came back to Colorado was his love for all the outdoor activities and variety of nature found here.  Shane also likes to sleep at least once a day and can out eat a small army. He is the Head Coach at Integral CrossFit in Gunbarrell and also an Olympic Weightlifting coach. Shane says the best thing about Firefighting is the camaraderie within the group.  And he likes all the super sweet gear all 5 year old boys wish they had, and we play with fire (Responsibly). [/cell_text]

[/fullwidth]